Android has been the dominant platform for cheap tablets for years, but now it seems that Windows 8.1 is the new black for a number of vendors.

A number of factors are in play, ranging from what could be described as Android fatigue to Intel’s decision to shovel hundreds of millions into its Bay Trail contra revenue programme.

As a result, leading vendors like Dell, Asus, Lenovo and Acer already have Windows 8.1 tablets priced $199/€199 or less. Smaller vendors are now joining the fun and we are starting to see even more cheap Windows 8.1 tablets, so let’s see what’s on offer.

Bay Trail’s race to the bottom

Just a couple of years ago the notion of $99 tablets based on x86 chips would have been downright ridiculous, but last year Intel announced that it hopes to hit the $99 mark with Bay Trail. This would have been next to impossible without subsidies, but Dell and Acer made it happen with a couple of cheap 7-inch Android tablets.

Today we will focus on Wintel tablets and the cheapest Windows 8.1 tablet in Europe comes from a brand best known for its graphics cards. The Point of View WinTab 800W is priced at €129, but PoV had to cut a few corners to get there. It is based on the quad-core Atom Z3735 clocked at 1.33GHz, but it has just 1GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. Storage can be expanded via microSD cards, but you are stuck with 1GB of memory.

The rest of the spec includes an 8-inch 1280x800 display, micro USB port, 802.11b/g/n wireless and Bluetooth and a 4000mAh battery.

The Odys Wintab 8 16GB, pictured on the right, is more of the same. It is based on the Atom Z3735E and the rest of the spec is practically identical, as is the design. It sells for €135 to €149 depending on the market.

More 8-inch flavours from big brands

Acer’s Iconia W1-810 has an MSRP of €149 and a somewhat better spec, with a Z3735G processor 32GB of storage and a 7.9-inch 1280x800 panel. It was launched a couple of weeks ago and it ships with Windows 8.1 Bing Edition. However, it sports just 1GB of RAM.

Lenovo, Asus, Dell and Toshiba also offer a number of 8-inch Windows 8.1 tablets based on 1.33GHz Bay Trail variants. There are a number of SKUs out there, but most of them are available around the world.

The Lenovo IdeaTab Miix 2 ships with 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, as does the Asus Vivo Tab Note 8, Vivotab 8 M81C, Toshiba Encore 2 and Dell Venue 8 Pro. They usually sell for €199, but you can get them for a 5-10% less depending on the market. Since they've been around for a while and since they already received extensive coverage, we won't bore you with specs and additional info.

10-inch netbook replacements

In case you are looking for a Windows 8.1 tablet with a somewhat bigger screen, you won’t have to spend a fortune.

Point of View offers the WinTab 1000BW in two SKUs, with 1GB and 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. This is a 10-inch 1280x800 tablet and it is based on the Z3775 processor like its 8-inch sibling. The 1GB version is priced at €199, while the 2GB model goes for €219.

The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 goes for €249 and it has 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. However, it is based on the ancient dual-core Atom Z2670. Although many geeks have a soft spot for all things ThinkPad, the processor doesn’t come close to 3000-series Bay Trail parts. It just doesn't cut it in this day and age.

Unconventional outliers

The Odys Wintab 10 32GB has a 1280x800 panel and a Z3735F processor. It boasts 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage for €199. It also has a dock connector, but the keyboard is sold separately. It makes it an interesting proposition for school kids, maybe even some businesses.

In case you want a big brand convertible, Acer has you covered with the Aspire Switch 10. The tablet ships with a decent keyboard dock and it has a 1366x768 panel. It’s based on the Z3745F processor and it packs 2GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. The dock is included and it has a full-size USB 2.0 port. European shoppers should be able to pick one up for €319.

Last but not least there is the Onda V975w and although it comes from a relatively small Chinese brand, it has one thing going for it. Unlike other cheap Bay Trail Windows tablets, it is an iPad lookalike and it features a 4:3 screen, a high-resolution 9.7-inch 2048x1536 IPS panel to be more specific.

It is based on the Z3735D processor, backed by 2GB of RAM. There’s 32GB of storage and a microSD slot, along with a 7800mAh battery. The asking price is €223 on Amazon.de, which doesn’t sound bad given the resolution.

Although most consumers will still choose big brand tablets, and there is no shortage of affordable models, affordable white-box models should not be ignored. White-box outfits have managed to grab a sizable chunk of the Android tablet market over the last two years and their products are getting better, with increasingly competitive specs and, in many cases, surprisingly good build quality. If possible, it is best to get a hands-on feel in a physical store, but truth be told cheap big brand tablets aren’t exactly known for bulletproof build quality.

Besides, the pricey iPhone 6 Plus can bend in your front pocket (if you are a clumsy oaf), so let’s not expect miracles from proper Windows tablets that can run Office and other legacy apps at one quarter of the cost of high-end phone.

Nvidia has officially launched its latest Geforce 700 series graphics card, the GTX 760. Aimed to replace the Geforce GTX 660 Ti, the Geforce GTX 760 is based on the GK104 GPU with 1152 CUDA cores. It packs 2GB of GDDR5 memory paired up with a 256-bit memory interface and should put a lot of pressure on AMD and its Radeon HD 7950.

As noted, the Geforce GTX 760 is pretty much based on the same GPU seen behind the Geforce GTX 770 as well as some earlier GTX 600 series graphics cards. The GK104 GPU features 1152 CUDA cores, 96 TMUs and 32 ROPs. The reference design will work at 980MHz base and 1033MHz GPU Boost clocks and feature 2GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 6.0GHz and paired up with a 256-bit memory interface. It also features Nvidia GPU Boost 2.0 which should provide better and more sustained GPU Boost clock states.

The reference version will feature 2GB of GDDR5 memory paired up with a 256-bit memory interface, but partners are given a green light from day one to come up with its own version including the 4GB equipped versions so we'll see a lot of variations on the market.

The reference cooler is a bit of a let down considering that it could be a bit less noisy and pack a bit more punch since the GPU easily exceeds the 80°C mark during gaming but as partners have been given a green light from Nvidia to do their own custom designs, we guess that those with reference cooler could be quite rare.

Priced at US $249.99 for the reference version, the new GTX 760 quite successfuly replaces the GTX 660 Ti as it ends up at anywhere between 5-10 percent faster but also ends up US $30 cheaper. It will also put a lot of pressure on AMD's Radeon HD 7950 graphics cards and we could see a price drop from AMD pretty soon, at least if they decide that they need to counter it.

The first proper reviews of Apple’s iPad mini are out and it is no surprise that they are largely positive. The new tablet is a sleek, compact device with excellent build quality, but like most Apple gear it’s pricey.

Of course, Apple’s reality distortion field affects objectivity like a black hole tends to affect gravity. But objectively speaking, the iPad mini is a neat little device with a bunch of shortcomings. While most sane people would agree on that, reviewers actually appear to be going through what shrinks call the five stages of grief. [Or lunacy. Ed]

Denial: Eyes don't have it

So the iPad mini doesn’t have a Retina screen? No big deal, as it turns out. After talking up the Retina screen as wonderful in their iPad 3 reviews, the hacks trapped in the reality distortion field are now saying you don’t actually need one.

New York Times' David Pogue said: “Apple’s masterstroke was keeping the screen shape and resolution the same as on the iPad 2.” However, he goes on to say: “Sadly, the Mini doesn’t gain Apple’s supercrisp Retina display. Nobody’s going to complain about the sharpness.”

This is a little off. Pogue fell in love with the iPad 3 Retina display, saying that photos, videos, maps and text were “jaw-droppingly good”.

Other reviewers were just as silly. Some even go on to conclude that the 4:3 1024x768 screen is better for HD video, because it doesn’t end up with a big letterbox like a 16:10 1280x800 screen.

Well, we all know that 4:3 screens are way better, right? That’s why Apple went for a 16:10 screen on the iPhone 5, a move praised by every single tech hack on the planet, including some iPad mini reviewers.

Anger: Best… iPad… Ever…

Some reviewers genuinely believe the iPad mini is the best iPad to date? Personally, I’d go with the fourth generation iPad, with a Retina display and lightning fast A6X chip. Apple’s New York Press Office, also known as The New York Times would disagree, as their review states that the iPad mini is “what the iPad always wanted to be.” Engadget goes one step further. “This is, in many ways, Apple’s best tablet yet,” reckons Tim Stevens.

The Verge manages to stay on the sanish side, declaring the iPad mini king of the small tablet market. CNET doesn’t need to see nurse Ratchet either: “If the iPad Mini had a Retina Display, a newer A6 processor, and a slightly lower price, it would be the must-have Apple gadget of the year.”

Bargaining: Specs, what specs?

The iPad mini has a venerable processor and a low-res screen, but… according to the reviewers the two-year old A5 processor is just what doctor ordered for the iPad mini. Anyone who knows something about technology would have expected an A6, so the reviewers have problem saying that this ancient chip is a good thing. Um, no. Some reviewers suddenly think the A5 is the best thing since sliced bread and can’t fathom why Apple ever spent millions developing the stunning A6. It is true that the A5 is fast enough to run a 1024x768 tablet, but then again so is a well tuned rubber band. It's hardly news though, the iPad 2 has been around for a while.

So when it comes to comparing the iPad mini to competing tablets it is better to do a Mitt Romney and just lie about it. Fox News and CNBC get away with it, so what the hell. Engadget compares the baby iPad to the (much cheaper) Nexus 7: “When it comes down to hardware, it's almost no contest between the two, with the iPad mini clearly winning out -- except in one area. That's the display.” Apparently the iPad is better because it lacks GPS, NFC, packs a slower processor and less RAM. I knew logic was going to have a bad time, but this is too much.

Depression: What depression?

In the Apple bubble the iPad mini is the best tablet ever, including a couple of tablets Moses brought down from Mount Sinai, at least according to the reviews.

Acceptance: Poor, poor Logic

Apple guru John Gruber starts his review with a few begrudging remarks about the iPad mini screen, but in the end he comes to the conclusion that he will just have to learn to love it without Retina. Turns out he travels a lot, so an 11-inch MacBook Air and a full-sized iPad weigh 3.8 pounds. They are just too heavy to lug along, making the iPad mini the only choice, as it’s 0.7 pounds lighter. We deeply sympathize with Gruber, who is clearly the Mad Max of tech hacks. After all a 0.7 pound difference is just a straw which breaks a camel's back.

By this point, if there’s anyone left reading this rant, you’re probably thinking the Fudzilla crew has some serious issues with Apple, or mental health in general. I am a recovering iPhone addict and my doctor assures me I’m not bipolar, although I pay him to say so for insurance purposes.

There is something rotten here. In the same way there was something rotten about Stalin's show trials. It’s a matter of sanity, calculus, common sense and a modest degree of professional responsibility. It’s all fun and games until someone’s grandma down in Boca Raton starts buying into the hype and invests her life savings in Facebook. It seems that the US tech press is falling over itself to hawk Apple products, and even when these are subpar has to find something nice to say.

Small wonder then that we are starting to hear talk of Apple complacency and seeing shares south of $600. Living in a bubble will not help the company in the long run, but a touch of reality and old school Apple innovation will.

Here at FUD Central we like to hear from our readers and whenever we get interesting demands, we are more than happy to oblige. In past weeks we started receiving emails from readers who simply wanted to know which thin-and-light notebook to bring to the beach. Since much of the Mexican Gulf coast is drenched in BP’s vomit, taking a notebook to your holiday seems like a good idea.

“Dear Fudzilla,

As an IT professional I have to keep in touch even when I’m on holiday. I work for a major tech company, but most of the stuff we make is ridiculously overpriced and lacks some rather basic features. Also, I’m on a tight budget, so I need you to recommend a cheap and light notebook that won’t make people think I’m smug.

Joking aside, the thin-and-light notebook market is heavily contested, so there are quite a few interesting models to choose from. Many vendors loved the CULV concept of bringing cheap, thin and sleek notebooks to the masses. We also think Intel did a great job with the platform. Sadly, the market wasn’t as enthusiastic, so vendors are now stuck with large inventories of CULV-based notebooks and they’re not keen to introduce new models based on 32nm parts until they get rid of them.

This is a good thing, thanks to low demand vendors are now forced to slash prices and offer tempting deals for older models. Take the sleek Asus UX30 for example. It launched some nine months ago at €999, but Asus has cut the price to just €649. Needless to say, this is a very competitive price for a 13-incher weighing just 1.45kg. It features Intel’s dual-core SU7300 CPU, clocked at 1.3GHz and it packs 4GB of memory and 320GB of storage. The cons are its 3-cell Li-Poly battery and glare screen, which is a bad idea for any ultraportable. However, it's utterly gorgeous and measures just over 20mm at the waistline, making it one of the thinnest and best looking 13-inchers on the market in general.

In case you need a bit more screen acreage, Lenovo will be more than happy to sell you this 14-inch Ideapad U450P for just €399. It’s powered by a dual-core Pentium SU4100 at 1.3GHz and it has 3GB of memory, a 320GB hard drive and it weighs 2.1kg. It has a multitouch trackpad, but the trackpad buttons are horrid. It also packs a replaceable 4-cell battery and, again, the unavoidable glare screen. The 13-inch U350 is also worth looking into.

There are a few interesting deals in the 11.6-inch market as well, but most cheap models are powered by Intel’s Celeron 743, which really isn’t a very good choice for anyone apart from very undemanding consumers. Dell’s Inspiron 11z can be had for as little as €317, while Acer’s Aspire 1410 can be bought for about €330. Both feature just 1GB of memory and 160GB of storage and they’ll have a hard time coping with Flash video, something Steve surely needs.

As always, we recommend matte screens, but the choice of truly affordable thin-and-lights with matte screens is rather limited. Acer’s Travelmate 8371 series is a good choice and for about €500 you can get a proper dual-core SU7300 processor, 3 gigs of memory and 320GB of storage. Also, it has a 6-cell battery and weighs just 1.65kg.

For roughly €50 to €80 more you can get an entry level Dell Vostro V13 or HP ProBook 4320s. Both are a tad more stylish than the Acer, but don’t offer nearly the same value for money, as the entry level SKUs are poorly spec'd.

Lastly, Asus’ UL30A offers both style and value. The entry level matte screen SKU costs €599 and it features a SU7300 processor, 2GB of memory and 250GB hard drive. In return you get a mammoth 8-cell battery in a sleek aluminum chassis weighing 1.8kg. For €50 more you can get 4GB of memory and a 320GB hard drive. Frankly, the UL30A is an excellent choice. Although it costs a bit more than Acer’s Travelmate it has a beefier battery and it just looks a whole lot better, thanks to a touch of brushed aluminium and chiclet-style keyboard.